An atomic-scale look to graphene edge states (Nanoscale 2017)

Graphene edges are known to present localized electronic states that depend on the exact atomic configuration of the graphene border. It has been predicted that zigzag-ended and chiral-ended graphene nanostructures develop spatially and spectrally localized edge states around the Fermi level. However, experimental evidence remains scarce as atomic-scale investigations of such graphene terminations and their related electronic states are very challenging. Graphene epitaxially grown on metal substrates is one of the most promising candidates for obtaining a scalable methodology for high-quality production. In this work we present a combined experimental and theoretical study on graphene stripes showing strong metallic edge states. By means of scanning tunneling microscopy, we demonstrate the use of vicinal Pt(111) as a template for the growth of graphene stripes presenting strong sublattice localized electronic states at room temperature.